The subject matter herein relates generally to a pluggable connector having a connector housing formed from multiple housing shells.
Pluggable cable assemblies may be used to transfer data to and from different communication systems or devices. Known cable assemblies include serial attached (SA) small computer system interface (SCSI) cable assemblies, which may also be referred to as SAS cable assemblies. Such cable assemblies may include a pluggable connector having a mating end and a trailing end. The mating end is inserted into a receptacle assembly of the communication system, and the trailing end receives a cable of the cable assembly. In some cases, the pluggable connector includes a circuit board that has electrical contacts, such as contact pads, that are exposed at the mating end. The circuit board may be mechanically and electrically coupled to wire conductors of the cable. During a mating operation, the mating end is inserted into a cavity of the receptacle assembly. The electrical contacts at the mating end engage corresponding electrical contacts of a mating connector within the cavity.
Pluggable connectors may include a connector housing that is formed from multiple housing shells. For example, first and second housing shells may be joined together to define a housing cavity therebetween. The circuit board is positioned within the housing cavity between the first and second housing shells. In at least one known pluggable connector, the first and second housing shells include respective leading portions that are joined with each other to form the mating end of the pluggable connector. An elongated fastener secures the leading portions to each other.
While the elongated fastener may be effective in securing the leading portions together, the process of applying the elongated fastener may damage the housing shells. For example, applying the elongated fastener with excessive force may cause a crack in one or both of the housing shells. The crack(s) may cause a decrease in electrical performance and/or a decrease in an operating lifetime of the pluggable connector. In addition to the above, the elongated fastener(s) may occupy space within the pluggable connector that could be used for other purposes.
Accordingly, there is a need for a pluggable connector in which the leading portions of the housing shells are not joined using a fastener that extends through the housing cavity and engages the leading portions.